Brazilian born illustrator Thereza Rowe has just published her first graphic novel with Toon Books. Here she describes the inspiration and process behind this universal tale of lost love.

A year or so ago Thereza Rowe came over to visit me with an idea for a wonderful, colourful, heartfelt graphic novel. Hearts has now been realised thanks to Toon Books, and I was lucky enough to pick up a copy at the recent ELCAF. The book is aimed at children who are just learning to read, so I have been reading it with Snarfle who is now two years old and in love with letters. He adores the story of a fox travelling through a rich landscape in search of lost love, and asks me to read it again and again. Thereza has a very special way of using clever arrangements of shapes to create a plethora of fantastical images, and although the book is aimed at small people it will appeal just as much to adults, who will probably more closely relate their own lives to this tale of learning to let go and love again.

Last month, art editor Valerie Pezeron interviewed fellow comic book artist Becky Barnicoat. This is part 2 of the meeting between two link-minded lovers of graphic novels. Who said comics were not for chicks?